Zlatan Ibrahimovic scores as PSG reclaim first place

Paris Saint-Germain’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic, left, takes a free-kick against Girondins de Bordeaux in their Ligue 1 match in Bordeaux, France, on Sunday.

Photo: AFP

Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s domination of Ligue 1 continued on Sunday when he scored his 19th league goal as Paris Saint-Germain reclaimed top spot with a clinical 1-0 win at Girondins de Bordeaux.

Sweden international striker Ibrahimovic netted shortly before the break after connecting with a pass from Lucas to put PSG on 42 points from 21 games, inflicting Bordeaux’s first home defeat of the season.

PSG lead Olympique Lyonnais, who were held to a 0-0 draw against Evian Thonon Gaillard on Friday, on goal-difference, with Olympique de Marseille one point behind.

Although they failed to impress at the Stade Chaban Delmas, PSG once again showed their efficiency, while Bordeaux, now seventh on 32 points, were toothless up front.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti was seen in tears on the bench before kickoff at the end of a minute’s silence in memory of PSG’s performance manager Nick Broad, who was killed in a car accident last week.

Englishman Broad was also Chelsea’s head of sports science, where he met Ancelotti in 2009.

PSG had nothing to show for themselves until the 43rd minute, when Ibrahimovic connected with a defense-splitting pass from Lucas and fired a low shot past Cedric Carrasso.

Maxwell came close to doubling the tally in the second half, but his angled shot from close range was palmed away by Carrasso.

In the absence of injured first-choice centerbacks Thiago Silva and Alex, Mamadou Sakho and Zoumana Camara were barely troubled.

Earlier, teenager Neal Maupay netted his second Ligue 1 goal as OGC Nice climbed up to fourth on 35 points with a 2-0 win at LOSC Lille Metropole.

The 16-year-old Maupay, who made his professional debut four months ago, latched on to a Romain Genevois cross in the 85th minute to seal the win eight minutes after Renato Civelli had opened the scoring.

Lille, who have had trouble adjusting to life without Eden Hazard after the Belgian joined Chelsea last summer and were jeered by their crowd, lie 10th on 30 points.

Stade Rennais capped a remarkable week when goals by Romain Alessandrini and Mevlut Erding gave them a 2-0 win against SC Bastia and fifth place in the standings.

Rennes, who also reached the Coupe de la Ligue final earlier this week, have 35 points.

Rennes traveled to Gueugnon after Bastia were barred from playing at the Stade Armand Cesari until further notice last month following crowd trouble.